Regenerator engine



6 192 1641830 Sept 7 E. w. swARTwoUT REGENERATOR ENGINE Filed sept-1. 1921 s sheets-sheet 1 D u um nu Selig 6, 1927.

E. 'SWA-RTWOUT REGENERATOR ENGINE Filed Sept. 1921 f 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Isfpt.. 6, 19271 E. W. SWARTWOUT REGENERATOR ENGINE Filed sept. 1, 1921 s sheets-sheet 5 Patented sept. 6, 1927.

w UNITED; Ys'mirs PATENT OFFICE,

i EVER/ETT W. SWARTVVOUT, OF WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK.

REGENERATOR ENGINE.

-' @Application led September 1, 1921. Serial No. 497,763.

IrThis invention relates to reO'eneratOr steam y c. D

engines.

An objectof this invention is to provide regenerator means for uniflow and turbine steam .engine plants whereby the heat losses due to conduction'aiid radiation are absorbed the heat units which would otherwise be dissipated and to increase Ythe over-all efficiency of the plant.

In accordance with the morepreferred forms of the invention, as applied to a uniflow steam engine, the feed water is conducted from the condenser or other source of water supply through suitable passage means in heated relation with the interior of the vengine cylinder through regions of conti uuously increasing temperature,v thence to the region of maximum temperature at the heads of the engine cylinder, and thence either directly to the boiler or in heated relation with the steam piping conveying the live steam from the boiler to the inlet ports of the engine cylinder.y

Heretofore, regeneration of the feed water has been carried cutrin connection with power plants embodying multiple stage heating, as in multiple expansion units such as triple and quadruple expansion steam engines. In such arrangements, the feed water is heated between the respective Stages of expansion and the steam in the respective cylinders enters at its highest temperature for the particular stageof the cycle and is exhausted at its lowest temperature at the location of entry in the respective cylinders. Pursuant to myk invention, the feed water is elevated intemperature in incre ments and Aprogressively from the lowest temperature of the'cycleto the highest temperature `and is practically applicable to such forms of steam engine power units in which the flow of steam from its entry into the unit to its exhaust from the unit is in one' direction solely, as in uniflow and turbine engines.

Further features and objects of the invention, will be more fully understood from the following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,.of the cylinder of a uniflow engine, its exhaust collecting means and its feed water pump;

Fig. 2 shows a detail central vertical section of a modified form of water coil about the engine cylinder;

Fig. 3 is a similar detail central vertical sectional view of a further modification of water coil;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the complete uniflow engine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation, partly broken away in vertical sectional view, of a modification of my invention as applied to a uniliow engine,

Fig. 6 is a sectional View on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and y Fig. 7 is a. further modification showing the invention applied lto a multi-stage tui'- bine.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, the uniiiow engine comprises the cylinder 1 having the oppositely disposed heads 2, 2a. The piston 3 is of the usual type and its rod 4 is connected to the cross-head 5, mounted in the cross-liead slides 5a, of the engine frame. The connecting rod 6 extends from the crosshead 5to the crank shaft 6.a, on which the iy wheel 7 is mounted. The control of the inlet valves may be effected, as indicated, by

means of the centrifugal governor 8 and a' suitable eccentric mounted on Vthe engine shaft in the usual manner.

The boiler is indicated at 11 and is connected by the `live steam piping 12 to the inlet pipe 13, provided with the throttle valve 13a leading to the branch pipes 14, 15, to convey the live steam to the respective inlet valves 16, 17, such as of the Corliss type.

The exhaust belt, indicated'at 18, communicates with the interior of the cylinderand connects through the pipe with the compartment 35'; u'ithin the hollow, 'liran'ie end head 2 of the engine cylinder. Such compartiment Si is annular in general torination and alsocncloses the steam inlet pipe hl leading 'lroni the branch pipe la to the inlet' valve lti.

In similar manner,` the coil 2Q connnunicales` at its outlet through the pipe 3G ivith the coinpartinent 3T o'l' the right-hand head il oit' the engine cylinder.

The water lroin the letti-hand compartinent- Sl flows through the discharge pipe 3S and the water :troni the right-hand conipartnient 37 through the pipe into the piping l to the boiler l'l.

Preferably, as indicated in Figs. il and 4, the live steain piping 1Q tloivs into the re ceiver All prior to entry into the inlet pipe 13 of the engine cylinder; and preferably the discharge piping el() Jfor the preheated water passes through the receiver ll by lncans of the coil in heated relation with the steam in the receiver and thence through the reniaindcr of the pipe 40 into the boiler lt.

In the aforesaid stages of conduction ot the it'eed Water troni the hot vell or sninp 2l the iteed Water is progressed through the several regions ot continuously increasing tenip Nature. `In such progress ot' the feed Vater, fthe heat units absorbed by the feed water atl the respective stages increases the over-all elliciency ol' the plant by returning heat energy to the hoilerand thas saves the consumption of additional coal otherwise necessary.

`Such `beneficial action is also derived by the tloyv ot the feed Water through the chanibers 34:. 3T in the respective heads Q, 522 ol2 the engine cylinder,whereby the `leed Water is brought in close adjacency to each clearance proper Within the cylinder adjacent the respectivc heads, and also brought in contact vvith the inlet` passages through which the live steam enters through the inlet; ports of the respective heads.

In Fig. il I have shown a lnodilied toria of piping for the leed Water Yfor such regions Where the feed water piping` is in Contact` with the cylindrical Wall et the engine cylinder. In Fig. 2 the cylinder liner or tv-.ill proper o'l the engine cylinder is indicated at l and the piping in the 'forni et a setuicircular pipe ot cast iron or siinilar material indicated at (3U, the tlat dianietrical t'ace Gl ot' which is brought spirally in contact with the outer face of the cylindrical wall l. otl Vthe engine cylinder.

In, Fig. 3 I have shown a `further niodilication o't passage nieans ttor the 'feed water for the regions encircling the engine cylinder. namely. `in the torni ot 4housings G5. 55, ot' rectangular passage sections arranged spiral.- ly` about the cylinder liner and also compri ing a piping section 6C, encircling the discharge pipe Qtlol the exhaust-belt 18. In such forni oi' the invention, the leed water `flows initially through the vspiral passage ol the section (iti, thencectlnongh the respective openings (T, (58, into the spiral passages of the respective annular housings (35, surroinnling thevvorlring areas of the piston 3 Within the cylinder 1 corresponding sintilarly to the arrangentent shown in `Figs. l and las aforesaid.

Such oppositely spi 'alled housings 65, 5, are lorined to litl over the respective halves oit. the cylinder l from each end to the en largement at the exhaustJ belt-` at the `center ot' the cylinder and bolted, atv their abutting Ataces and at otherlocationsito seal the cas' ings G5, about the cylinder Wall.

Such spiialled` housings 65, 65% may" be shrunk on the cylinder :casing: to etl'cet the water seal or nlay be` Welded thereto. `In `certain sizes olf engine cylii'iders, the cylinder lincrand the exterior. housings (S5, (553a inay be cast integrally aswillbe understood.

lli desired, the leed water may be con ducted through the respcctiveiheads 2, 2 ol the engine cylinder byineans of a. coil, euch as `the tlat spiral coil *70. shown in and t3.

in such Acase, thedisclnirge `pipe 36 ol the ailiorosaid right-hand coil 2f), encircling` the right-hand Working area. oi"` theengine cylluder l. connects `vvitlrthc :inlet i'l ol the right-hand spiral coil Tt), `disposed in the compartment 37 of the right-hand head Qi. In similar inanner, the outlet-83, ot' the .letthand coil :28 about `the engine cylinder, con uects with `a spiral coil TO21 corresponding generally to the spiral `coil "ZO, but having a clearance at xits centertextending about the opening 73 in the left-hand head 2 through which the piston rod. -lt extends.

Such passage ineansfl'or ,the feed Water about the engine cylinde are covered` on the exterior ,by asbestosor lnagnesiaas is` indicated at lO in Fig. l. to prevent `dissipaw tion oi heat energy, and the j iipinglabont the other portions` of the engine cylinder whiclris. exposed to exterior radiation, is sin'iilarly protected.

The invention is applicable tor attachment to installed engines, to convert the saine into regenerator` engines emboiilying lny invention, as Well `as 'for engines initially eonxl toenihody my inventioi'i. vlerablyn asindicatcd in `Fig. l, the 'feed water outlet pipe ilt). extending 4longitudinally of` the engine cylinder, is provided with expansion joints 75, T6, corresponding to the expansion joints 71T, 78 in :the steam inlet piping of the engine.

In a similar manner, the `principle ofi my invention `is utilizable for` steanr. turbines,

and lli-ave indicated in `lttig. T-at SOthe high pressure stage, at Sl the ii'iterniediate,preslll() sure stage and at 82 the low pressure stage of a inulti-stage rotary steam turbine, whose driving shaftis indicated at 83. The condenser is indicated at 84 and the water pump fstagehthence through spiral' piping encircling the casing 81 of the intermediate stage, thence through spiral piping encircling thecasing 8O of the high pressure stage and thence eventually through'the pipe 87 to the boiler.

From the above it will appear that my invention provides for progressive reheating of the feed water from the lowest temperature of the cycle of the power unit to the highest temperature as desired, and such heating is carried out in increments effected substantially continuously, thereby providing for a regeneration through an infinite number of heating stages. It will also be apparent that the rise in temperature of the feed water takes place at locations in the power unit where the temperature gradiants are substantially uniformly maintained and in a direction counter to the drop of temperature of the steam in the working strokes. Accordingly, my invention is particularly applicable to those forms of power units in which the direction of iow of the steam in the working strokes is in one direction only, as in uniflow types of steam engines and steam turbines.

Vhereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim.

1. The combination of steam supply means, a steam operated unit having'entry and exhaust means for the steam, and in which the flow of the steam from the entry means to the exhaust means is in one direction, means for collecting the exhaust steam in liquid form, means for conducting the collected liquid exhaust fluid in heated relation with and externally of said unit and in a direction counter. to the flow of the steam through said unit, and means for conducting tlie thereby heated collected liquid exhaust fluid to said steam supply means.

2. The combination of steam supply means, a uniiiow engine including a cylinder provided with oppositely disposed inlet valves and a centrally disposed exhaust port, and further provided with `exhaust collecting means, passage means disposed about said cylinder and extending in directions from said exhaust ports to said inlet ports respectively, means for connecting said paslsage means with said exhaust collecting means, and means connecting said passage means with said steam supply means.

3. The invention with a'boiler of'a uniflow engine having two inlet portions and a central exhaust portion, said uniflow engine including a piston and havingv an exhaust collecting means, passagev means for conducting the exhaust fluid fronisaid exl'iaust collecting means in heated relation with the cylinder ofthe enginey in direc- .tions yfrom the exhaust portionk respectively toward the two inlet portions, to

thereby conduct the exhaust fluid through said passage means in directions respectively counter to the working structures of the piston, and means for connecting said passage means with said boiler.

4. rlhe combination of steam supply means, a steam operated unit having inlet and exhaust ports and in which unit the iow of the steam from the inlet port to the exhaust port is in one direction only, said unit further including a movable steam actuated member, means for collecting the exhaust fluid from said unit, means for conducting the exhaust fluid in heated relation with and externally of said unit and in a direction counter to the working stroke of said steam actuated member, and means for conducting the thereby heated exhaust fluid to said steam supply means.

5. The combination with steam supply means of a steam turbine unit vhaving inlet and exhaust means and further including a movable member actuated by the steam, exhaust collecting means for said unit, means for conducting the exhaust fluid inheatedrelation with and externally of said unit Vand in a direction counter to the flow of steam through said unit, said unit further including a hollow head, means connecting said passage means with the interior of said hollow head, and means for connecting said passage means with said steam supply means.

6. The combination with a steam supply, of a steam operated unit having inlet and exhaust means, said unit further including a movable, steam actuated member, the flow of the steam from said inlet means to said exhaust means being in one direction only, said unit further including hollow heads at the respective ends of said unit, exhaust collecting means for said unit and means for conduct-ing the exhaust iiuid in heated relation with and externally of said unit and in a direction counter to the flow of the steam through said unit, thence within the interior offsaid heads respectively, and thereafter to the said steam supply.

7. The combinationwitli a steam supply, of a steam operated unit having entry and exhaust means for the steam and in which the flow of the steam from the entry means lll() lo the exhansnmeans is solely in one direc- :tionyexlianet collecting meanslol' saidinnit, mean@ for ieondneting the exhaust iluid n heated relatonwit'h and externallyolI said `nniuand in a direction eountel' to the flow nl the Slealn Vlhreugh said unit, and means ilol' conducting `the thereby heated exhaust -fluid to said entrypnieans of said steam 0pexatelmnit.

8. The combination with a steam supply ofxai uniowengine having two `inlet ports and a central exhaust port, said unilow en- `means eonneeting Said gine including a piston; means? foreolleeting the exhaust Huid gijizlseage means` :for e0nducting the exhaust l'lnid lnhealecl relation with the cylinder if the engine from the exllauet port respectively tmvaxfels the two inlet:- pmts in directions respectively eonnlelll'o the working' Strokes eli aiel piston, and w passage means with the steam `enpply 0l: the nnillow engine.

In testimony whereof l. have Signeel Athis Speeilieation this 31st day 0l August, 1921.

EVERETTWV SWRTWOUT. 

